One of Ben Hogan's final requests before his death in July of last year is about to be fulfilled. "It was Ben's wish that his personal collection reside at Golf House," said the great man's wife, Valerie, regarding an extraordinary array of trophies, awards and equipment, the like of which will never be assembled again.
So it is that the US Golf Association, which houses many of the prized medals and memorabilia of Bobby Jones, has reached an agreement to serve as caretaker of the Hogan collection. With the full blessing of Valerie Hogan, nearly 1,000 square feet is being set aside in the USGA's Museum and Library in Far Hills, New Jersey.
When completed, the exhibition space will become known as the Ben Hogan Room, so commemorating a player regarded by most experts as the finest ball-striker in the history of the game. Which leads me to repeat the story of an unforgettable experience of a few years ago in the media centre at Augusta National.
After Jack Nicklaus had been in for interview, a few of us stayed behind for a more intimate exchange with the Bear. It was then we asked him who was the best player in the game. He replied quietly: "Hogan was the best I've seen. I never saw Jones, so I can't comment on him. As for myself, that's for others to judge."
Among the Hogan treasures is his first award, the Katy Lake Cup. Then there is the S Rae Hickok belt, awarded to him as Athlete of the Year in 1953 when he became the only player to win the US Masters, US Open and British Open in the same year. There are also the medals from his nine major victories - the US Opens of 1948, '50, '51 and '53; the 1953 British Open; the 1951 and '53 Masters and the USPGA Championships of 1946 and '48.
A fifth US Open medal remains unofficial, much to the annoyance of people like American golf writer Dan Jenkins, himself a Texan. Having cancelled all its events from 1942 to '45, the USGA co-sponsored the so-called Hale American Open in aid of charity in 1942, when they presented the standard US Open medal to the winner.
This happened to be Hogan, who spread-eagled a strong field, including Bobby Jones, with a second round of 62 and went on to finish 17 under par, beating Jimmy Demaret and Mike Turnesa by three strokes.
In the event, the exhibits will also include personal items such as the 1976 Bob Jones Award, his trademark white cap and equipment used during an illustrious playing career.
"He's got a lot more shots than I have; he's got a lot more power and sometimes he's got a lot more imagination." Mark O'Meara on Tiger Woods, after the older man had captured the World Matchplay title at Wentworth last Sunday.
It's a time when skunks wander about in search of black beetles for a late-night snack while Divot, the resident, marmalade cat, keeps a watching brief. And it is also a haven for shift-workers, insomniacs, fun-loving college students and plain golf fanatics.
Haggin Oaks Driving Range, in Sacramento, California, is in its second season as an all-night facility, from May to the end of October. And the 24hour format, which will end shortly for 1998, is proving to be an unqualified success, according to director Ken Morton.
"Having started it as an experiment, we now find our business is up by as much as 25 per cent, and it's actually costing us less to staff," he said. "Before going for 24 hours, we were picking up balls until 2.0 in the morning and we'd have to start watering at 3.0 or 4.0."
From the players' standpoint, there is the bonus of the bright lights that line the range, making it easier to follow balls than in the glare of the daytime sun. And it also affords the opportunity for such impromptu relaxation as drinking a few beers or having a barbecue in the company of fellow addicts.
"I get out here at about 10 or 11 p.m. and find I've got more time to myself," said a committed patron. "It's isolated, it's private and it's great fun." Divot, the friendly feline, clearly agrees, given that it has hung around since wandering in three months ago. No doubt sharing the golfers' pursuit of birdies.
You know the chestnut about the fellow having a hole in one and then wickedly remarking to his opponent: "You have that for a half." But Peter Sharkey knew better, after scoring an ace with a six-iron at Foxrock's 165-yard fifth hole in a turkey competition last Wednesday. For the opposition included 21-handicapper Paddy Moloney - and he got the half by sinking a 30-footer for a two, net one.
It happened in a turkey singles in which Sharkey (11) and Vincent Stanley (17) had a private little fourball against Moloney and Tony Dunphy (11). Moloney won the competition, but the opposition won the money.
Those traditionalists contemplating a round on the Old Course at St Andrews should note that it will cost Stg£75 from next April. The £3 increase is considered to be in line with inflation, while other green-fee hikes see the New and Jubilee courses going up to £35 and the Eden to £23.
Due to the unusually heavy rainfall, the Links Management Committee were in a position to intensely over-seed the Old Course this year. And it looked very much the better of it in the recent Alfred Dunhill Cup. Meanwhile, to strengthen the turf's resistance to disease, iron has been applied to the greens as part of the autumn treatment.
Potential visitors may like to know the arrangements for playing this hallowed stretch. Unreserved starting times are allotted by a daily ballot which is drawn after 2.0 p.m. for play the following day: Saturday's draw is for Monday, as the course is closed on Sunday. A caddie will cost £27.
To enter the ballot, golfers should contact the starter (Tel: 0044 1334 466666) before 2.0 p.m. on the day before they wish to play. The ballot results are posted at the Starters' boxes and other locations in the area. Finally, it should be noted that a handicap certificate or letter of introduction is required.
This was a rather different 17th from the infamous Road Hole at St Andrews - a gentle, 306-yard dog-leg to the right which was just about driveable with a career-best tee-shot. So it was that pals Tom Leach and Bill Simpson, gave their drives the full treatment. And they achieved just the correct degree of fade to negotiate the curve of the fairway, where the shots disappeared from sight.
As they approached the green, Simpson spotted what he assumed was his ball on the fairway, while Leach searched for his in the right rough. With no success after five minutes, Leach declared his ball lost and proceeded to drop another one, though of course he should have returned to the tee. But no matter.
They duly played onto the green where Leach, while attending the flagstick, saw a ball in the hole. Whereupon he exclaimed: "Look, here's my ball, a Top Flite 4. I've made a hole in one."
But Simpson interjected: "Wait a second. I'm also playing a Top Flite 4." It seems they frequently shared golf-ball supplies and Simpson later admitted they had no idea what each other was hitting. And neither of them had thought to put an identifying mark on his ball.
So, the two players at the Mallard Point course in Mississippi, would never know which of them had hit the shot of his life. "I didn't even keep the ball," recalled Leach, disconsolately. "In fact I lost it on the next hole."
This day in golf history . . . On October 24th 1976, the official ending of the European season saw Seve Ballesteros lead the Order of Merit for the first time. His rise to number one became official when the Italian Open was completed at Is Molas, where Baldovino Dassu captured the title by eight strokes.
Total prize money for the European season, which had started with the Portuguese Open in April, £900,000. The 19-year-old Spaniard with flashing eyes and cavalier style claimed £39,504 of the pool, while Eamonn Darcy, in second place, collected £25,027. As for Dassu, the £4,082 he received for winning in Sardinia lifted him to ninth place on £13,406 - easily his best season on tour.
Teaser: A plays three holes by himself while his marker, B, rests. B then resumes play and marks A's score for the holes he (A) played alone, as well as his scores for the remainder of the holes. Should A's card be accepted?
Answer: No. A should have insisted on B accompanying him or have discontinued play and reported to the committee. Since A was not accompanied by a marker for three holes, he did not have an acceptable score.
